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Tourism Development and Quality of Life in a Mountain Destination: The Case of the Zlatibor Region, Serbia

Year: 2026

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: Tourism is a major driver of socio-spatial transformation, influencing economic, social, cultural, environmental, and institutional dimensions of local development. These effects are most evident at the community level, where residents’ perceptions and support play a critical role in achieving sustainable tourism outcomes. This paper examines the relationship between tourism development and residents’ quality of life in the Zlatibor region (Municipality of Čajetina), one of Serbia’s leading mountain tourism destinations. The study employs the standardized Tourism-Related Quality of Life Index (TQOL), analyzing residents’ perceptions across 36 indicators evaluating the importance, satisfaction, and perceived impacts of tourism on different life domains. Factor analysis identifies six key domains shaping residents’ quality of life: urban issues, public services, community well-being, way of life, political power, and other community-related issues. Results indicate a high perceived importance of tourism-related factors (M = 4.24), alongside a moderate level of satisfaction (M = 3.42), suggesting existing development gaps. Overall perceptions of tourism impacts are positive (M = 4.08). The calculated Quality of Life (QOL) score (12.15/20.00) and Tourism-Related Quality of Life (TQOL) score (25.53/60.00) confirm tourism’s significant but uneven contribution to socio-economic and socio-cultural conditions in the region. The findings highlight the complex role of tourism in shaping local quality of life in mountain destinations and underline the need for spatially sensitive planning and governance approaches. The results provide relevant insights for regional development strategies and contribute to broader geographical debates on sustainable tourism and community well-being.

Source: Digital Archive of SASA (Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts)

Authors: Denda, Stefan, Brankov, Jovana, Micić, Jasna, Petrović, Marko D., Demirović Bajrami, Dunja

Language: English

Topic: Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7204607713

FWCI:

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